Handkerchief
by FollowingTheWind
Summary: "Where's your handkerchief?" Handkerchief? Wait a second... Ash reflects on an old friend. Short Pokeshippy one-shot/want-to-say-drabble-but-it-really-isn't-at-all thing.


_I should be doing a lot of other things right now. A Push in the Right Direction, the hundred other one-shots I started, my history project… You know that sort of thing. But I've just been mulling over this one quote from Black & White for what now? Months? Then this just came to mind and…yeah. So here it is! Enjoy, please? :)_

_**Most dialogue is taken from the TPCI dub of the second Pokémon: Black and White episode. All rights go to them. ^-^**_

* * *

><p>"Where's your handkerchief?" Mom asks, holding a finger out to me. I know that finger. That's the 'I'm your mother, and you better listen because this is really important' finger. "Are your clothes packed? Do you have clean underwear?"<p>

I was just getting ready to head off to Striaton City for my first gym battle in the Unova region. Man, I'm so excited! This is going to be _great_! Just me and my old buddy Pikachu. I don't know why it took me so long to think of this. I mean, I'd already been in Unova for almost two whole days, and I just thought of the idea when I saw that guy Trip heading off on his own journey. Of course, now I have to deal with my mom, but what's new? Underwear, she always has to ask about the underwear.

Without even really thinking about her questions and all that motherly stuff she does, I answer, "Don't worry, Mom! I'm not a little kid." I know she means well, and don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but she does this _every_ journey. Oh well. I know she cares.

"There's a Pokémon Center on the other side of the forest," says Professor Juniper. "Stop by there if you need help."

"Right. See you later!"

I turn around then and start to run down the hill, away from Professor Juniper's lab, and towards the forest that will lead me to my first gym. I can hear Mom and Professor Oak shouting something about safety and fun, but I'm just so excited I can't stop running. Wait, did Professor Oak say something about "good luck?" Pfft, I'm Ash Ketchum. I don't need luck! They should know that by now!

Now that I think about it, I really should make sure I have everything I need. It'd be really embarrassing if I forgot underwear after how much Mom reminds me about that. Let's see… Pikachu? Right beside me. Pokéballs? On my belt. Hat? On my head. Er… Pokédex? Pocket. Clothes (and underwear)? Backpack. Sleeping bag should be there too…

Hmm… I'm not forgetting anything, am I? I think there was something else my mom reminded me about…

"_Where's your handkerchief?"_

That's it! Handkerchief! Ha! I thought there was something else. Wait… I have a handkerchief? Hold on, I'm remembering something… Oh right! How could I forget?

I dig through my pockets, just to be sure. Come on, come on… It's gotta be there! Aha! My fingers brush against a soft, silky-feeling fabric. At least, I think it's silky… I'm not really all that into fashion and different fabrics like that. You'll have to ask Brock or Dawn about that kind of stuff. It's the only thing I own that's that soft, so I'm pretty sure it's what I'm looking for, but I pull it out just in case.

And there it is. Misty's handkerchief. She gave it to me way back when we separated after the Johto league. Looks exactly the same as when I tucked it in my pocket back home before me, Mom and Professor Oak left for the airport. Pink and yellow, pretty girly for Misty if you ask me, but I guess she could get pretty girly sometimes. Can't believe I forgot it, but I guess it's just become sort of ritual for me.

Man, _Johto_? Has it really been _that long_? I… oh man, Misty… I haven't seen her since… since the Battle Frontier! Aw, geez, she's gonna _kill_ me! Hope she doesn't still have that mallet… But, shoot, I really should call her.

Even though I'm not all that great at staying in touch, though, I _can_ say I miss her. I know weird, right? But really, I do. She was there since the beginning. Met her on the very first day of my journey. Then I stole her bike. Heh… She bugged me forever over that thing. But, I guess I never actually wanted her to leave. Not after I got to know her of course. Sure, she was whiny, annoying, and had this weird fear of bugs, _but_… I really kinda started to like her after a little while.

No, no! Not in _that_ way! Geez… Why does _everyone_ think that? Even the little imaginary people I talk to in my head!

Wait…

Um…

Never mind.

I mean, I guess she was kind of pretty and nice to talk to once you got past that whiny part…and she was great trainer for just water-types…and pretty…and…she had nice…hair…and… Oh, just give it a rest!

Ugh, all this talk about Misty is giving me that weird clench-y feel in my chest and that tickly feeling in my stomach. You know what I mean? I always get that when I think about her… Not that I think about her a lot or anything. That would be ridiculous. Yup, completely ridiculous.

And I'm not blushing. That's a total lie. I have no idea where you even got that idea. I...just… Leave me alone, okay?

Pikachu's running ahead of me now. I gotta catch up or we'll never make it to Striaton City! Then I'll miss my gym battle! Ah, I can just hear Mist tellin' me to slow down now. Yeah... I'll definitely call her.


End file.
